Having positive and good staff wellbeing in education settings is key to a welcoming and thriving school environment where every learner can flourish, staff feel like they can get the most out of themselves and keeps morale and confidence going sky high. The benefits of a having good wellbeing means that everyone can perform to their goals and reduce the need for a large turnover of staff which can bring stability to a school’s aims and needs. There are a number of ways to support the wellbeing of staff in educational settings and keep spirits up.
Have a buddy
One of the key areas of keeping staff wellbeing up is just having someone designated to talk to, or as we say, have a buddy! If you are feeling a bit down or something is up that you are worried about but need to get out your system and mind, then have a colleague designated and assigned to you to be able to speak on matters that are important to you and to potentially others that you are working with as well. Having a buddy will boost self-reliance and create good connections with others in the workplace leading to a positive and happy culture within the school system.
Keep a sustainable time balance
Another key area of having good staffing wellbeing in educational settings is managing a time balance of schoolwork and family life. Working in education is sometimes daunting and can be incredibly stressful for the individual. As well as working with children and helping staff within the building, teachers will also use their time outside of work to plan for lessons and to mark work that students have been doing in the classroom. It can result in staff not being able to spend time with closer family and put strains on their mental health if they do not feel close to people, they most need. Creating a plan and timetable to balance work and other matters closer to home will help you concentrate on building plans for work whilst being able to spend time with family and bonding with your children if you look after any.
Creating a suitable mental health policy
Putting mental health first in the educational setting is another crucial part of having good staff wellbeing in schools and colleges. Having a clear and important mental health policy and plan for all staff members is crucial to making them feel motivated and secure in the workplace. A clear plan will also address concerns with staff regarding their mental health with processes to be able to takes steps to solve any issues that they may be facing or to help others to increase their self-esteem. It is crucial that everyone feels comfortable in the workplace and a mental health policy can help make that positive and welcoming environment there for all no matter who they are.
Providing the required training
Finally, keeping and maintaining positive staff wellbeing in the educational setting can be achieved by providing the necessary and important training courses and programs to all staff that work in schools and colleges. Creating and participating courses and programs based on improving wellbeing and keeping good mind and mental health motivation will allow participants to develop skills to maintain and deal with any potential problems or concerns that could arise. Applying these skills developed will help educational leaders keep a consistent method on keeping staff morale high, build relationships within a team, increase performance and standards, and lastly help retain staff.